Demonstration accessory for suction cleaners



F. M. RHED March 29, 1938.

DEMONSTRATION ACCESSORY FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Feb. 3, 1936 am INVENTOR FlgdMR/ed W Patented Mar. 29,1938

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEMONSTRATION ACCESSORY FOR SUC- TIQN CLEANERS Floyd M. Rhed, Canton, Ohio, assignor to Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corn tation of Ohio Application February s, 1936, Serial No. 62,153

5 Claims. (ores-1s) This invention relates to ademonstration accessory for suction cleaners and more particularly to a device to be applied to a suction cleaner .for the purpose of demonstrating to prospective.

dust trap and shown to the prospective purchaser as visible evidence of the amount of dirt which has been removed from the floor covering. This demonstration is particularly convincing, if

the same area of the vifioor covering has previously been gone over with an old cleaner'or one that does not perform as efiiciently.

Heretofore, the standard type of the so-called n dust trap type of demonstrating accessory consisted of a tubular insert designed to be introduced between the end of the dusting tool hose or conduit and the dusting tooland arranged to support sheets of filter paper transversely of the passage therethrough. The chief objection to this particular type of demonstrating accessory is the fact that it necessitates the application of the dusting tool and hose in orderto make I the demonstration and hence the cleaner can only be demonstrated when operated for ofi-the-fioor cleaning.

The principal object therefore of the present invention is to provide an improved type of demonstrating device which will be attachable to'the cleaner body and register the eflectiveness of the cleaner while operating normally and not cleaning through the auxiliary hose and dusting tools.

A further object of the invention is to provide a demonstrating device which can be inserted between the cleaner proper and the dust bag, thereby temporarilyintercepting the dirt at the point where it enters the collecting receptacle.

And finally, an object of the invention is toarrange the dirt intercepted into the form of a definite design by means of a stencil, thus oreating the distinctive pattern calculated to make a greater impression upon the prospective purchaser than merely a plain circular or ovalshaped panel.

A preferred embodiment'of the improved demonstrating device is disclosed in the accompanylng drawing. in which:

Figure 1 is a general view in side elevation of the cleaner shown in Figure 1 a, suction cleanerwith a demonstrating device insorted between' the exhaust outlet and the dust bag. I

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the hinged frame forming the body of the demonstrating device showing the relative positions of the stencil sheet and filter sheet as they are placed in the frame. Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view' partially in section of the lower half of the cleaner outlet and dust bag connection withthe demonstrating device inserted therebetween, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the filter sheet as it appears when removed from the frame after the demonstration has been completed.

Briefly, the demonstrating device consists of a thin, flat rectangular metal frame i made up of two hinged together plates 2, 2 with centrally disposed registering apertures 13, 3 of circular shape, a stencil "sheet t, conforming generally to the shape of the frame both as to its marginal contour and central aperture to and finally, a rectangular sheet 5 of thin and relatively porous filter paper capable of permitting the almost free passage of air therethrough but of intercepting the dust particles in the air.

As already suggested, the two halves or plates 2, 2 making up the frame i are practically identical in shape being hinged along their lower edges as at 6, 6 to permit the frame to be opened and closed for the insertion and removal of the stencil and filter sheets. Now, considering the hinged edge as-the bottom of the frame, it will be observed that the lower half thereof is somewhat narrower than the upper half, the 'side edges of the plates being cut away throughout their lower half thus forming abrupt downwardly facing shoulders 1, l, which serve to support the frame in place on the cleaner as will presently be explained.

The frame I is about five inches square and the circular opening in the plate approximately four inches in diameter, these dimensions conforming generally to those at the connection between the cleaner casing and the dust bag of the particular type and model of suction cleaner for which the device is assumed to have been designed. Thus inay be considered to represent a type of cleaner having a rearwardly extending exhaust passage 8 terminating in a relatively large flanged outlet connection 8a to "which is normally attached a fabric dust bag 9 through the mediumof a. metal ring "I to which the inner end of the dust bag is attached,-said' 2 diametrically opposed notches liiaadapted to fit over two clamping bolts il carried on either side of the flanged outlet connection 8a. These bolts ll include removable nuts l2 which are loosened to permit the removal of the dust bag. In the same manner the clamping nuts [2 are loosened to permit the'frame I to be inserted between the bag and the outlet connection as shown in Figures '1 and 3, said frame being held in place and properly registered by the shoulders I, 1 resting upon the bolts ll, whereupon the clamping nuts are tightened, thus holding the frame securely in place during the demonstration.

Now, referring further to the apertures 3, 3 in the hinged plates forming the frame I, the same are generally circular in shape except for two oppositely disposed slotted segments 3a extending through arcs of substantially 90 degrees on opposite sides thereof. These slotted segments project inwardly about a quarter of an inch beyond the normal radius of the apertures, so that the same actually have an irregular contour, as is clearly shown in Figure 2. And finally, spaced immediately beyond the edge of the two segments are groups of slots 3b separated by a thin web of metal, there being preferably four slots in each group.

The stencil sheet 4 is preferably cut from any standard stencil paper and is substantially the same shape and size as the frame I, that is to say, it is practically a duplication of one of the plates of the frame except for the stenciling around the central aperture thereof, as will presently be explained. In order to insure the proper positioning of the stencil sheet 4 in the frame, the latter is provided with a pin l3 located along one edge of one of the hinged plates 2 and, projecting from the inner face thereof, registers with a corresponding hole l4 in the other plate. Similarly, the stencil sheet 4 has a hole l punched along one edge thereof adapted to register with the pin i3 on the frame to insure the proper registration of the stencil sheet in assembling the device for each demonstration.

Now, the central aperture 4a of the stencil sheet 4 is generally circular in shape to conform with the corresponding apertures 3, 3 in the frame I, and furthermore have the same arrangement of marginal segments 4b, 4b, which register exactly with the corresponding marginal segments 3a., 3a of the frame. But in place of slots along the edges of the segments there are cut in the segments 4b of the stencil sheet appropriate words or wording such as, "Dust"-"Lint"GritGrease,

It is therefore apparent 'thatwhen the stencil -sheet 4 has been placed in the frame and the latter closed, that the words surrounding the central aperture in the stencil sheet 4 will register with the groups of slots 3b surrounding the aperture in the frame I. And lastly, on inserting a sheet 5 of relatively porous filter paper between the stencil sheet 4 and one of the plates 2 of the frame I, the device .is in readiness to be inserted between the cleaner outlet and the dust bag for the demon'stration. 1

In putting the frame in place it is obvious that the filter sheet should be on the side of the stencil sheet nearest the 'bag, that is, the dirt laden air exhausted from the cleaner should pass through the stencil sheet before it passes through thefilter sheet. For this reason, the directions indicate the proper procedure to be followed in assembling the stencil and filter sheets in the frame, and suitable markings on the outside of the frame state which side is to face toward the bag.

Thus, to make a demonstration for the benefit of a prospective purchaser, the frame i, assembled with a clean filter sheet 5, is mounted at the cleaner outlet in the manner already indicated, whereupon the cleaner is operated for a few moments over the prescribed area of the carpet or rug and then shut down so that the frame may be removed and the filter sheet recovered. The operation of opening the frame amounts to nothing more than parting the hinged plates to separate the stencil sheet from the filter sheet, but inasmuch as the pattern or stencil impression upon the filter sheet is made up of dust particles adhering somewhat insecurely to the surface thereof, the frame is preferably cut away at the free corners as at 211., 2a in order to facilitate the removal of the filter sheet without smudging or smearing the impression. Thus on removing the frame from the cleaner the operator is in- ,sponding corners of the uppermost plate 2 of the frame and the stencil sheet 4 are cut away so that the two can be swung upwardly and away from the undermost plate, leaving the filter sheet 5 lying face upwardly thereon.

Now, the design stenciled on the filter sheet 5 will obviously be a reproduction of that cut in the stencil sheet 4, namely, a circular-shaped solid panel 511, with the words DustLint etc., printed in dust about the margin thereof,

as clearly shown in Figure 4. Manifestly, the-- pattern thus stenciled on the filter sheets may be of any desired configuration inasmuch as the sole purpose of the demonstration is to intercept the dirt as it leaves the cleaner and to collect' it on the filter sheet in such a way as to impress ,upon the prospective purchaser the cleaning effectiveness of the cleaner being demonstrated.

Likewise, the construction of the holder as well as the assembly of the entire demonstrating device may be modified in its details without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A demonstrating device for the 'purpose described, comprising a frame adapted to be removably supported between the normally contacting portions of the discharge outlet and dirt receptacle of 'a suction cleaner, said'frame having an opening conforming substantially to the shape and area of the outlet opening and adapted to support separate sheets of filtering material transversely of the path of the dirt-laden air discharged from said outlet.

2. A demonstrating device for the purpose described, comprising a frame adapted to be removably supported between the'air discharge outlet and the adjacent portion of the dirt'receptacle of a suction cleaner, and having a centrally disposed opening conforming substantially to the shape and area of the air discharge pas sage at said outlet, said frame consisting of a pair of thin separable plates adapted to hold separate sheets of air filtering material crosswise the path of the-air discharged from said outlet.

3. A demonstrating device for the purpose described comprising a frame adapted-to be clamped between the outlet and the attaching portion of the dirt receptacle of a suction cleaner and having a centrally disposed opening conformauaaos said frame comprising a pair of plates hingediy connected along one edge and adapted to removably support a sheet of filtering material therebetween and transversely of the path of the dirtr-laden air discharged from said outlet.

4. A-demonstrating device for the purposedescribed comprising a frameadaptedto be temporarily supported between the discharge outlet and the attaching fitting oi the dirt receptwice! a suction cleaner and having a centrally disposed opening contormin'g'to the shape and size of the discharge opening at said outlet, said frame comprising a pair of hinged metal plates adapted to have a super-imposed stencil sheet anda renewable flltersheet held therebetween. said stencil sheet having a stencilled area included within the opening of said frame and adapted to be exposed to the dirt-laden air as -it isdischar'ged from outlet and before it passes through said filter sheet.

5. A demonstrating device for the purpose described comprising a frame adapted to be clamped between the discharge outlet and the attaching .fltting of the dirt receptacle of a suction cleaner and having a centrally disposed 'circular opening.

conforming-to the shape and size. 'of the discharge passage-at said outlet, said frame comprising a pair of metal plates adapted to have clamped therebetween a stencil sheet and renewable filter sheet.'said stencil sheet having an opening of somewhat less area than that of said frame, .thus exposing a stencilled marginal area to the dirt-laden air as it is discharged from said outlet and through said filter sheet.

FLOYD M. RHED'. 

